Today, the American Diabetes Association® (ADA) and The Leapfrog Group announced the first hospitals to receive national designation as Recognized Leaders in Caring for People Living with Diabetes. The designation reflects a strong commitment to the safety and well-being of hospitalized people living with diabetes. An estimated 30% of hospitalized people are living with diabetes, and more than 200,000 hospitalized people die every year from preventable safety problems.
“These hospitals are leading the nation in dedication to people with diabetes. Safe, effective, patient-centered care from hospital admission through a patient’s return home lowers risks of serious health complications and improves outcomes for people living with diabetes,” said Robert Gabbay, MD, PhD, the ADA’s chief scientific and medical officer.
"Whatever their reason for admission, hospitalized patients who are living with diabetes are at heightened risk from the preventable errors and accidents that are a problem for all patients in American hospitals,” said Leah Binder, MA, MGA, president & CEO of The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog for patient safety. “We extend our heartfelt congratulations to our first 17 recognized hospitals who are pioneering what we hope is a tidal wave of change in hospitals’ approach to patient safety for people living with diabetes.”
The first-of-its-kind designation program evaluates hospitals based on their care for patients with diabetes during admission, stay and discharge. The program operationalizes the ADA’s globally recognized guidelines for the treatment of patients with diabetes, the Standards of Care in Diabetes—2024, along with Leapfrog standards for excellence in hospital safety and quality. The program aims to counter the heightened safety risks faced by approximately 8 million people living with diabetes who are hospitalized each year.
One in four people admitted to a hospital suffer some form of unintended harm, according to a report by the Office of the Inspector General. Hospitalized people living with diabetes face heightened safety risks including amputation and other complications such as coma and death if mistakes are made in their daily care. Black and Indigenous people, as well as Latinos, are 30% more likely to undergo amputation than non-Hispanic white Americans.
Recognized hospitals provide safe, high-quality care for people living with diabetes, by implementing blood glucose (blood sugar) testing and hypoglycemia protocols, specialized preparation for inpatient surgery, meals and insulin regimen planning, robust discharge planning for high-risk patients with diabetes, among others.
Hospitals earning the Recognized Leader in Caring for People Living with Diabetes designation include:
California:
Mills-Peninsula Medical Center
New Jersey:
AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center - Atlantic City Campus
AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center - Mainland Campus
Hackensack Meridian Health Jersey Shore University Medical Center
New York:
Glen Cove Hospital
Ohio:
Licking Memorial Hospital
The Christ Hospital
Pennsylvania:
Geisinger Lewistown Hospital
Geisinger Medical Center
Geisinger Shamokin Area Community Hospital
Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center
Lehigh Valley Hospital - Cedar Crest
Lehigh Valley Hospital - Muhlenberg
Texas:
Midland Memorial Hospital
Texas Health Huguley Hospital
Titus County Hospital District dba Titus Regional Medical Center
Washington:
EvergreenHealth
The application process for the 2025 recognition opens July 1, 2024. Read the methodology for the program here.
If you are a patient and don't see your hospital on this list, consider using this template to write a letter to your hospital's CEO asking them to participate.
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About the American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization fighting to bend the curve on the diabetes epidemic and help people living with diabetes thrive. For 83 years, the ADA has driven discovery and research to treat, manage, and prevent diabetes while working relentlessly for a cure. Through advocacy, program development, and education we aim to improve the quality of life for the over 136 million Americans living with diabetes or prediabetes. Diabetes has brought us together. What we do next will make us Connected for Life®. To learn more or to get involved, visit us at diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383). Join the fight with us on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Spanish Facebook (Asociación Americana de la Diabetes), LinkedIn (American Diabetes Association), Twitter (@AmDiabetesAssn), and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn).
About The Leapfrog Group
Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps for patient safety. Leapfrog publishes letter grades for hospitals based on how safe they are for patients with the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. Leapfrog also sets standards for safety and quality and reports to the public through the Leapfrog Hospital Survey and Leapfrog Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Survey. Follow us on Twitter (@TheLeapfrogGroup), Facebook (The Leapfrog Group), LinkedIn (The Leapfrog Group)and Instagram (@TheLeapfrogGroup) and sign up for our newsletter.